Mowing Heights for Your Lawn
By: Dale Mermoud, Master Gardener

A common misconception is that a closely-cut lawn looks neat, but in reality mowing too low is the reason for much lawn deterioration. Mowing height and a sharp mower blade will directly affect the performance and appearance of your lawn.

By now you should know if your old mower is going to "cut it" or needs to be replaced. If you're going to replace your mower, go a step up and get one with adjustable wheel heights. Your lawn will thank you if you make height adjustments during the growing/mowing season.

Increasing the mowing height during the hot summer months allows more leaf surface area to manufacture the necessary foods for growth and survivability.

A sharp blade will cut the grass leaf rather than tearing it as is the case with a dull blade. A sharp blade is especially important with fescue lawns because of the fibrous, tough structure of the fescue plant.

Another point to consider is the purchase of a second blade/blades to fit your mower. This way you'll always have a sharp blade ready. Your mower engine will last longer also because of less "work" it has to do.

Never remove more than one-third of the leaf area during mowing. Another rule-of-thumb for mowing is if the cut area has a different color (light green to yellow) then you're cutting your lawn too short. Make multiple cuttings, the first cut only half the way back to the desired height, then re-mow in a couple of days to the intended level. Multiple short cuttings will minimize or eliminate the need to bag your clippings which benefits the lawn also.

For either riding or push mowers, the same height adjustments can be made as follows: For fescue or bluegrass (cool season grasses): April-2 inches; May-3 inches; June, July and August-4 inches; September-3 inches; October-2 inches. For bermuda or zoysia (warm season grasses): April-2 inches; May-2 1/2 inches; June, July and August-3 inches; September-2 1/2 inches; October-2 inches. If you irrigate or water your lawn, you can use the May height setting for June through August for both grasses.

For more information on lawn care, see you local county extension office and ask for MU Guide 6705 and 6706.